


A Handful of the Many ‘I Love You’s Between Nick and Jeff

by roxashighwind



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-07
Updated: 2013-05-07
Packaged: 2017-12-10 15:44:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/787721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roxashighwind/pseuds/roxashighwind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick and Jeff say "I Love You" a lot in their lives, and this is just a handful of those instances.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Handful of the Many ‘I Love You’s Between Nick and Jeff

_**Jeff says it first** _

His mom is a bit of a hippie, teaching Jeff early on that love is awesome and free and he should always be open to tell people he loved them when he did.

They’re six and in kindergarten and Nick is sharing his PlayDough - Jeff has a knock off version at home that just does  _not_  squish the same way - and they’re laughing and playing and Nick is just so awesome and friendly and nice and doesn’t lord things over Jeff the way the co-op kids in daycare did and it just slips out.

“I love you, Nick!” Jeff says when Nick passes him another bit of green PlayDough for the dinosaur Jeff is in charge of constructing.

Nick tips his head to the side for a second before responding with the ease of any six year old. “Love you, too, Jeff! Godzilla should be bigger. Take more,” and he passes more green PlayDough to Jeff.

—-

_**And second** _

He’s got a vicious cold in fifth grade that has him out of school for a whole week. Nick’s been bringing his homework to him every day after school.

Half delirious with fever, Jeff pulls Nick onto the couch with him and cuddles close. “I love you, Nicky. You’re the best friend ever.”

Nick laughs and ruffle’s Jeff’s hair, pushing him away. “Dude, don’t get me sick.” But Nick sinks onto the couch and lets Jeff cuddle, sniffling, against his side.

They wake up a couple hours later to Jeff’s mom singing as she makes dinner, a blanket thrown over them and Jeff’s fever finally having broke.

—-

_**Jeff’s got dibs on the 30th time, too** _

It’s the first day of freshman year and Jeff’s horribly lost. He can’t seem to navigate the halls of Dalton and his uniform is itchy and the tie feels like it’s suffocating him and Jeff’s about thirty seconds from crying. He’s leaning against a wall, trying to calm down and reorient himself when he feels a hand on his shoulder.

“Jeff. You okay?” Nick’s hand is on Jeff’s shoulder, warm and solid and grounding.

“Y-yeah… Bit lost, but y’know how my sense of direction is.” Jeff laughs a little but is ridiculously grateful for Nick.

“What’s your next class? I can walk you…” Nick shifts his bag on his shoulder.

“I love you, man. You’re a life saver.” Jeff pulls out his schedule. “Geometry.”

Nick smiles and nudges Jeff’s shoulder. “This way. You’re kind of hopeless.”

Jeff just grins.

—-

_**Nick finally says it first** _

They’re sitting outside the Senior Commons, waiting to find out if either of them is getting a callback for the solo auditions.

“Whatever happens, I love you, Jeff.” He’s sharing a bench seat with Jeff, shoulders touching.

“That’s a little gay, Duval,” Thad says from across the corridor.

Jeff and Nick both shoot him glares. “Nothin’ wrong with that, Thad,” Jeff glares at him.

Nick sighs. “He’s like my brother. We’ve been saying ‘I love you’ since we were kids.” This isn’t the first time they’ve had to explain it to someone. “Problem with it?”

Thad knows that edge in Nick’s tone - he’s one of the students who holds the ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy in the highest regards - and holds up his hands. “No offense meant.”

Jeff spends the rest of the day trying to calm Nick’s ruffled feathers and cheer them both up after neither of them get the solo.

—-

They say it on their wedding day and everyone applauds.

They say it to their daughter, to their son, to each other, to Jeff’s mom because Nick’s parents don’t come around for a long time. 

Jeff says it a bit more than Nick, is more free with the phrase, but Nick says it almost as frequently but more in action than words.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my tumblr - like a majority of the stuff I'm posting here.


End file.
